Circuit-closing device.



W. W. ALEXANDER, DECD.

E. T. um, ADMINISTRATOR.

CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE. PPLIoATIoN IILED Hmm. 1911.

CDLUMM PLANoaRAPM ca .wAsHlNroM n.9.

UNITED STAT s 'PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ALEXANEE'R, OF DENVER, )COLOR/ADG; EDWARD T. KEIM, ADMINIS-TRATOR OFSAID ALEXANDER, DECEASED, ,ASSGNOBL BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,k'LIT-,O THE EROTECTI E SIGNAL MNUFACTURING iCoMPANY, A CORPORATION `07FCOLORADO.

Cinema-CLOSING m'izvrcn.`

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

' Applica-mamesFebruary 21,1911. semaine. s035893.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it 'known that 1, VILLIAM WV, ALEXAN- DER, ac'itizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Denver, in the'county of Denver and Stateof Colo-rado, have invented cer tai-n new and use-ful mprovements inCir,- cuit-Closing Devices, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to circuit closing devices for signalingapparatus and more particularly to instruments of the type shown anddescribed linmy .applications for Patent Numbers 570,615 and 598,640tiled in the United States Patent 'Oitice respectively on July 6, 1910and December 21, 1910.

In the circuit closing instru-ments shown and described in .the aboveapplications, one vibratory bar, supported in a hermetically sealedcasing, carries two contact-blades .and an interposed tongue whichthrough the instrumentality of an appliance which retards the movementof the latter, are brought in contact during the vibratory movement ofthe bar. Y

lt is the object ,of the ,present invention 'to simplify theconstruction ot' the above described instruments without deteriorationto the pract-icability or eiifectiveness thereof, by the vvprovision oftwo` vibra'tory bars which being mounted to vibrate along substantiallyparallel lines, 'have ditierent degrees oit -vibratility and carryelectric contacts one of which extends in 4the path `of the other.

When, in the operation olf my invention the equilibrium of the vtwoelements is disturbed, they will, under the influenceof forces ofrestitution, yvibrate12th-rough ampli-AA tudes of unequal length, byreason of lthe difference in their degrees of sensitiveness,`

with the result that, while in motion, they will repeatedly pass eachother and thus bring the electric contacts in engagement tointermittently close the normally open electric circuit of which theyare the terminals.

lVhile my invention is adapted to be effectively employed for variouspurposes, it is more particularly designed for use in connection with arailroad track, to be actuated by the jarring motion of a passing trainor engine, and audibly or visibly announce the approach thereof at acrossing, station or other remote point along the railway.

In the accompanying drawings, in the opposite head 6. upon the bar 10,respectively 'between and at Referring to the drawings by numerals, 2.

designates .the preferably cylindrical casing whlch may be provided withclamps 3 or other means for kfastening' it to a rail 4.'

The ends of the casing are hermetically closed :by means of heads 5 and6 which are provided with 'binding' screws, 7 and 8 to connect with thevconductors of electricity of the circuit inwhich the signalinginstrument is located. The two heads are insulated from the casing 2 andthey are constructed to conduct .in connection with ,parts secured upontheir inner surfaces, `the electric fluid from the respective bindingscrews to the normally-separated `contacts which are associated with thetwo vibratory elements 7 `and S ,disposed within the casing.

'The elements above referred to, are respectively composed of rigid4bars 7L and 8a which ,carry at one of their extremities poises 7c and8F and whose opposite ends are attached tothe .ends of springs 7d and 8dwhich at their outer extremities are rmly secured upon a bridge V9-supported upon a Adat "bar 10, which, 'being connected with the head 5,extends longitudinally through :the casing and terminates in proximityto the Three `,posts 12 erected opposite sides of the members 7lL and8a, and connected at their upper ends by means of a cross-piece *13,arepro-vided to guide the elements 7 and 8 during their vibratorymotion.

To ditt'erentiate the degrees of vibratility of the two elements, thepoises 7 C and 8C vare in the construction shown in the drawing, made todiffer in weight but it will be readily understood that the same objectmay be equally effectively accomplished by other means, as for exampleby reducing the length of one of the elements, by varying the positionof one of the poises relative to the other or by providing springs 7dand 81 of diiierent degrees of resiliency.

Rigidly secured upon the member 7a of the element 7, is a contact 14which by means of the said member, the corresponding spring 7d and thebridge 9 to which the latter is attached, is constantly maintained inelectric communication with the head 5 and the therewith connectedbinding screw 7. lated, preferably flexible, blade 15 which when theparts are in their positions of rest, extends in spaced relation abovethe contact 14:, and which is connected with the head 6 and thecorresponding binding screw by means of an insulated wire ltrwhich islaced thro-ugh apertures in the bar 10, and which for clearness ofillustration, has been represented in the drawings by a dash-dot line.

To limit the period during which the signaling instrument is actuated bythe intermittent closing of the circuit in which it is loca-ted, aleaf-spring 17 is secured upon the bridge 9 at a point below the pointof connection of the adjacent member 7d ofthe more sensitive one of thetwo vibratory elements, t-he opposite end of the said leaf springbearing against the under surface of the said member 7d, to check itsmovement, by sliding contact therewith.

vWhen by a shock or jar imparted to the support with which the casing 2is connected, the equilibrium of the two elements 7 and S, is disturbed,their vibratory movements through arcs of different amplitude, willcause them to repeatedly pass each other and thus bring the contacts 14and 15 intermittently in engagement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters- Patent is 1. In a circuit closing instrument, two vibrato-ryelements of different degrees of vibratility, and a contact blade on oneof said elements, extending in the path of the other element, the saidblade and the last mentioned element being electrically connected withopposite sides of an electric circuit.

2. In a circuit closing instrument, two vibratory elements of diiferentdegrees of vibratility, and electric contacts connected Copies of thispatent may be obtained for The other element, S, carries an insu-Irespectively with the said elements, to engage during the vibratorymovement thereof.

3. In a circuit closing instrument, two vibratory elements of differentdegrees of vibratility, an electric contact secured to one of saidelements, and a contact blade connected with the other element and eX-tending in the path of the said contact to engage therewith duringmovement of the said elements.

4. In a circuit closing instrument, two vi.

bratory elements of different degrees of vibratility, each including arigid member, a resilient member, at one end thereof, and a poise at theopposite end of the same, the two resilient members being supported atcorresponding ends, to vibrate along substantially parallel lines, andnormally separated electric contacts connected with the respectiveelements to engage during vibratory movement thereof.

5. In a circuit closing instrument, two corresponding vibratoryelements, each including a rigid member, and a resilient memberconnected therewith at one of its ends and supported at its oppositeend, oppositely disposed electric contacts connected with the respectiveelements, and poises of different weights secured in correspondingpositions upon the said rigid members.

6. In a circuitV closing instrument, the combination with a casingadapted to connect with a suitable support, of two vibratory elements ofdifferent degrees of vibratility supported within the same, and electric cont-acts connected with the respective elements to engage duringvibratory movement thereof, in electric communication with a circuitoutside the said casing.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM W. ALEXANDER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. C.

